It's Just A Short Way
by PunkZinn
Summary: A Willow/Giles fic R&R please


It's short and sappy. I'm a sucker for W/G fic.  
  
  
  
A little Willow/Gilesish fic. You've been warned. PG  
  
Disclaimer: They aren't mine and it's a sad, sad thing.  
  
  
  
  
  
_____________------+++++-----______________  
  
  
  
Three figures walking through a misty cemetery...  
  
  
"No more questions, Will. My brain can't take it," said Buffy as she gave   
the lurking gravestones another sweeping gaze.  
  
"Buffy, you've just got to study for the European History quiz," said   
Willow as she closed the book and pouted. "You've missed two classes."  
  
"I know it. I'm sorry for being all wigged there's just been too much   
going on."  
  
"There's been an alarming amount of vampire activity, Buffy," said Giles,   
"but it doesn't mean you can ignore your studies. If we aren't going to try and   
catch you up, what are Willow and I here for?"  
  
Buffy turned around abruptly and the other two nearly tripped over her and   
each other, for they had been walking at a rather quick pace to keep up with the   
broody Slayer. Willow blushed behind her hair as Giles laid a hand on her arm   
to steady her. She thought of how wonderful the occasional touch from him could   
be, so light and warm. She came back to reality when she realized they were   
staring at her.  
  
"Earth to Willow," said Buffy, "Anybody en la casa?"  
  
"Oh! Si!" she said and batted Buffy's arm lightly. "You don't need to   
study for the Spanish test!"  
  
"There's a Spanish test?" asked Buffy.  
  
"Well, then maybe-"  
  
"Willow," said Giles interrupting, "Buffy suggested we call it a night."  
  
"Yah, Will, you guys go on home. I promise to put in some mucho study   
time tomorrow. I ought to walk you to the gate though."  
  
"We'll be fine, Buffy, it's not too far."  
  
"Alright, but if you see any dudes with pointy teeth yell for me. Don't   
be heroes; you'll put me out of a job." Buffy smiled and they waved goodbye and   
wished her safety.  
  
_______________-----+++++-----________________  
  
Giles was unlocking the car door for Willow when someone behind them started to   
laugh. They spun around to face four vamps with their game faces on.   
  
Giles glanced to Willow. "Run," he said.  
  
Their backs to the car, the vampires closed in around them jeering and laughing.   
  
"There's nowhere to run to," she said, fear creeping into her voice where she   
didn't want him to hear it.  
  
There were three males and a female. The lead male swung at Giles who evaded   
the blow and landed one of his own. The vamp stumbled back, dazed, and one of   
his buddies stepped up to help him. Meanwhile, the smaller male and the female   
were closing in on Willow.  
  
"Willow!" shouted Giles, "Don't let them pin you up against the car!"  
  
Willow heeded and ducked away into more open space, pursued.  
  
Giles watched her and his mistake cost him a nasty blow to the stomach and he   
was knocked up against the car in the very situation he'd warned her of.  
  
Willow yelled for Buffy as the male vamp pinned her arms behind her back. His   
cold breath brushed her neck but he did not bite. The female smiled her teeth   
flashing in the moonlight. Willow screamed as those long perfect teeth sank   
into her flesh.  
  
Giles was in the midst of fighting off two large vampires and not doing a very   
good job of it when Willow's scream rang in the cemetery air. He thought that   
somehow such huge distress fell small on the silent gravestones. He yelled her   
name, he yelled for Buffy, and he yelled in pain as one of the vamps sought   
purchase on his neck.   
  
Buffy had heard Willow and raced to them. She reached Giles and dusted the two   
vampires upon him. He was still alive and awake and urged her to leave him and   
find Willow. Buffy spotted her friend limp in the embrace of the two vamps.   
She rushed forward and killed the feeding female. She knelt by Willow's   
unconscious body as the last vampire fled.   
  
"Is-is she alive?" asked Giles when he reached them. He wore the first two   
buttons of his shirt undone and the blood from his wound had reached his   
collarbone.  
  
Tears were welling in Buffy's eyes. "Yes, but I should have got here sooner."  
  
Giles took his handkerchief from his pocket and pressed it to Willow's throat to   
try to stop any further bleeding. "We need to take her to a hospital."  
  
Buffy glanced at his blood and the bruise forming high on his right cheek. "You   
too."  
Giles didn't answer her but lifted Willow and told her to open the car and   
hurry.  
  
________________-------+++++------_________________  
  
Willow's condition was uncertain. The doctors couldn't tell them anything. As   
soon as they would let him Giles went to her side and stayed there holding her   
pale hand. He was there when Buffy came in the evening of the second day.   
  
"Giles?"  
  
He turned his gaze to her briefly before returning it to Willow. The bruise of   
his face was darker and there was gauze on his neck.  
  
"How is she?" she asked.  
  
Giles swallowed, "There's still no why to know."  
  
Buffy drew a chair beside him and sat down. She stared at the IV running into   
Willow's arm. "I should have been there. I knew better."  
  
"Buffy you can't blame yourself," Giles said dryly.  
  
"Then whom can I blame, Giles?" she demanded.  
  
"You can blame me," he said.  
  
Tears fell from her eyes. "Giles, there were four-"  
  
Giles released Willow's hand and stood, "Had there been a hundred bloody   
vampires, Buffy, I blame myself. It should be me. She doesn't deserve this!"  
  
Willow stirred, the hand he had held with such care reached out. He knelt beside the bed and took it up.   
  
"Willow?" Buffy asked.   
  
"Come back to me, Willow," Giles whispered.  
  
Buffy called for a doctor and Giles held her hand a bit more tightly. Tears the   
he'd held back with guilt came forward.   
  
Willow called his name and he felt her hand squeeze back.   
  
"Please, Willow," he hoped, he prayed, he whispered.  
  
She heard him and remembered his hand on her arm. She squeezed his hand tighter   
and opened her eyes.  
  
"Hola," she said softly but with much effort.  
  
"Hello, Willow," he said and sobbed in relief.  
  
Buffy laid a hand on his shoulder and the doctor came in. He checked Willow's   
vitals and pronounced her stable at last.  
  
Willow reached up and brushed the tears from Giles' battered face.  
  
"I'm here," she said, "I'm here and so very happy to see you."  
  
"As am I," he said attempting to quell his tears.  
  
"That makes three of us," said Buffy.  
  
"She needs her rest, you could come back and see her in a few hours," said the   
doctor, politely trying to get them out of the room.  
  
Giles gave her hand another squeeze. "I'll be here," he told her.  
  
The doctor cleared his throat.  
  
Giles stood beside Buffy and bent to kiss Willows forehead. "I love you," he   
whispered. "I'm so sorry I let them hurt you."  
  
"You didn't let them do anything," she said. Then she blushed some of her old   
color coming back, "I love you, too."  
  
  
  
  
  
  



End file.
